The girls soccer 7A State Championship featured Catholic’s Mt. Saint Mary and eventual champions Bentonville last year. The team lost to Mt. Saint Mary in the quarterfinals, but had a chance for redemption for the first time by playing in the Bentonville Tournament last weekend.

The tournament included Bentonville, Mt. Saint Mary and Springdale Har-Ber. The girls team played all three teams March 14 and 15, tying against Bentonville and Mount St. Mary’s, 0-0, and beating Har-Ber, 2-1. While the outing might look promising to some, senior Haylee Campbell said there may still be work to do.

“The teams we played in Bentonville this weekend are probably the best in the state,” she said. “We’re good, but we have to try harder.”

The team opened up conference play last night by beating the Panthers last night, 6-0, all their goals in the first half.

Campbell said the Panthers, along with the 7A/6A South, isn’t a strong as other teams across the state.

“Our conference teams aren’t very good,” she said. “Coach [Julie] Long has to schedule nonconference teams in order to keep up the competition.”

Last year, the team went (8-0) in the South, but that doesn’t mean this season will be as easy.

“We might be good, but if we don’t try hard enough, there are teams that can and will beat us,” Campbell said.

The team’s top athletes include seniors Rori Whittaker, Callie Schalk, Victoria Rose, Jacie McMahan and Kara Taylor. With their last season left, they look straight to state.

“If we work every time we’re on the field, and we play like we can, I think we have a good chance to win state,” Campbell said.

One of the biggest problems with the team’s practices has been finding time to work over the numerous snow days, but they’ve continued to play on the football field whenever possible.

After last night’s game, the team won’t play again until April 3 against Little Rock Central. To keep up with their workout schedule, the girls will practice for two hours for three days over spring break and scrimmage March 28.